This week, I’ve had The Cranberries’ “Linger” #OnRepeat. This past week the lead singer of the Cranberries, Dolores O’Riordan, passed away, so I’ve been listening to a lot of their music. This song was one of my favorites from my childhood.
The Cranberries were a rock band from Limerick, Ireland that formed in 1989. O’Riordan joined as the lead singer two years later, and after the release of their debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?, they gained international recognition. Even though The Cranberries are considered an alternative rock band, their music blends influences of Punk, Irish Folk, Pop Rock and Indie-Pop music. Some of their most well-Known songs are “Zombie,” “Dreams,” “Promises,” and “Ridiculous Thoughts.”
The song “Linger” was written and released in 1993 for their debut album. Interestingly enough, the song lyrics were originally written by The Cranberries’ first lead singer, Niall Quinn, but when Niall left and O’Riordan joined the band, she wrote her own set of lyrics for the song, writing the lyrics with a theme of regret, first love and first kiss. Dolores’ voice is sombre yet almost wails in some points of the song’s melody, emphasizing the confusion, desperation, and melancholic-like feeling you get when you first fall in love. The country and Irish Folk style of singing can be heard in the stylistic choices that O’Riordan choses while singing; these bring an air of grit and wistfulness to the song as well.
Take a listen below:
Do you have a favorite song by The Cranberries? Leave a comment below!